Couch-bed or sofa-bed.



S. KARPEN & C. HULTGREN.

Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

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COUCH BED 0R SOFA BED.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. Io. |915.

1 ,256,325. Patentedy Feb. 12, 1918.

UNITED srarns ragrnnr orales.

SOLOMON KARPEN AND CHARLES HULTGBEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO S. KABPEN & BROS., 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

COUCH-BED 0R SOFA-BED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

To all whom 'it ma concern.-

Be it known tiat we, SOLOMON KARPEN and CHARLES HULTGREN, citizens ot' the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Couch-Beds or Sofa-Beds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to a combined couch and bed; and the primary object is to provide a structure of this character which can be manufactured cheaply, and which is of improved operation.

The invention is illustrated in its preerred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a view partly in section and partly in end elevation of a couchbed constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2, a broken end elevational view of the structure in open position; Fig. 3, a sectional view showing the seat in extended position and the bed part unfolded; and Fig. 4, a broken plan view of the strueture in open condition.

In the embodiment illustrated, the invention comprises a box-frame A, having its front corners equipped with short stand ards, or angles, Al; a rearwardly swinging seat B, and a folding-bed C which is normally housed in folded position beneath the seat.

The main frame A comprises a low opentop box. The standards A1 are firmly secured to the front corner portions of the box, being spaced with relation to the end-members l of the box by cleats 2.

The seat B comprises a frame 3, and a cushion 4, the frame being adapted to rest upon the upper edge of the box A in the closed condition of the structure. The rear portion of the seat frame is connected with the rear portion of the box A by hingemembers 5 and hinge-levers 5a. The levers 5a have their elbows pivoted on the members 5. Each elbow-lever has one arm iixedly secured to the frame 3 and its other connected by a counter-balance spring 5b, to an upright 5c secured to the end 1 of the box A. The folding-bed C comprises an intermediate spacing section 6, a rear bed-section 7 and a front bed-section 8.

The intermediate section 6 comprises short angle-bars 6a connected by a U-shaped truss 6". The members 6 are connected, by pivots 6, with the elbow-portions of angular levers 9, which have one arm connected by pivots 9a to the standards A1, and which have their other arms joined by links 10 to the arms or end-members of the front bedsection 8. The links 10 are connected, by links 11, to legs 12, with which the outer bed-section is equipped.

The rear and front bed-sections 7 and 8,

respectively, have their arms or end-members connected, by pivots 13 and 14, with the members 6u; and the rear portion of the bedsection 7 is supported in elevated position by links 15, which are actuated by links 16, which connect the upper ends of the links 15 with the frame 3 of the seat B. The lower, or rear ends of the links 15 are joined by pivots 17 with clips 18 secured to the end-members 1 of the main frame A. The links 15 and 16 are connected by pivots or studs 19, which slidably engage slots 20 with which the end-members of the rearbed section 7 are provided. The springs 5", acting through the levers 5, tend to throw the members 15 to and hold them in the standing position. In the extended position of the structure, the links 15 lean rearwardly somewhat, and engage stops 22 applied t0 the inner surfaces of the end-members 1 of the frame A. In this position, the seat B leans rearwardly somewhat, and the springs 5a also serve to hold the links 15 against the stops 22. In the open position of the structure, the studs 19 are somewhat in the rear of the pivots 17, so that any weight upon the bed will also serve to hold the links 15 against the stops 22.

A wire fabric, or fiexible bed-bottom, 23 is applied to the folding-bed-frame. The arms of the rear lied-section 7 are equipped, near the pivots 13, with depending supports or feet 21 which, in the open position, rest upon supports or rests 21xl ixedly secured to the ends 1 of the box-frame A. This expedient prevents collapse of the bed. The ends of the levers 9'which support the links 10 overhang, or project in front of the frame A, while shoulders 9 of the levers 9 engage those flanges of the angle-form standards A1 which are parallel with the front side of the box A. Thus the levers 9 and links 10 are adapted to afford substantial support to the rear portion of the front bed-section and to prevent collapse of the bed when occupied.

In converting the structure from couchform to bed-form, the seat is swung rearwardly from the position shown in Fig. l to the position shown in Fig. 3, in which operation the links 15 automatically elevate the rear portion of the rear bed-section and tilt and partially open the folded bed, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The operator then grasps the free portion of the front bedscction and completes the operation of unfolding the structure, leaving the structure as illustrated in Fig. 2. In the reverse operation the bed is folded to the position shown in Fig. 3, and the operator then forcibly swings the seat forward, causing the folded bed to be lowered into the boxframe A. In the closed position of the seat, the upper portion of the folded bed is housed within the seat frame and disposed beneath the spring of the seat-cushion.

The construction described is simple, cheap, durable, and capable of being operated with great facility.

What we regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination of a frame, a rearwardly swinging seat, pivots supported by said frame near the upper front corners thereof, levers mounted on said pivots and overhanging the front portion of the frame in the extended position of the structure, a folding-bed comprising an intermediate section pivotally mounted on intermediate portions of said levers and front and rear bedsections pivotally connected with said intermediate sections, links connecting said levers with the front section, and link connections between the frame, rear bed-section and seat, whereby the bed will be lifted and tilted in the operation of opening the seat.

2. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination of a frame, levers pivotally supported near the front portion thereof and overhanging the front portion of the frame in the extended position of the structure, a folding bed comprising a spacing section pivotally mounted on intermediate portions of said levers and flanking sections pivotally connected with said `intermediate section, links connecting said levers to the section in front of the Spacing section, a rearwardly swinging seat, and

mechanism connecting the seat, rear bed-sec-v tion and frame, whereby the rear bed-section will be lifted in the operation of swinging the seat rearwardly to standing position.

3. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination of a frame equipped near its front corners with rigidly secured short standards, levers pivotally connected with said standards, a folding-bed comprising a spacing section pivotally connected with the intermediate portions of said levers and flanking sections pivotally connected with said spacing section, links connecting said levers with the section in front of the spacing section, legs connected withV the section. in front of the spacing section, links connecting said first-named links to said legs, a rearwardly swinging seat, and mechanism connecting the frame, rear bedsection, and seat, whereby the bed will be lifted and tilted in the operation of opening the seat.

4. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination of a frame equipped near its front corners with standards, levers pivotally connected with said standards and having portions adapted to project in front of the frame and shoulders adapted to engage said standards, a folding bed comprising a spacing section pivotally mounted on intermediate portions of said levers and flanking sections pivotally connected with said spacing section, links connecting said levers to the section in front of the spacing section, links pivotally connected with the frame and slidably connected with the rear bed-section, a rearwardly swinging seat connected with said frame, and links connecting said last-named links to said seat.

5. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination of a main frame equipped near its corners with standards, a forwardly opening folding-bed comprising foldably related bed-sections, includinvr a spacing section movably mounted on sa1d standards, a rearwardly swinging seat hinged to the said frame, and mechanism connectin the frame, the rear bed-section and seat and serving to elevate and tilt the folded bed in the operation of opening the seat.

6. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination of a frame, a folding bed comprising a plurality of foldably related sections mounted to turn on the front portion of said frame, a rearwardly swinging seat, and connections between said seat and folding bed serving to turn the folded bed to a tilted position in the operation of swinging the seat rearwardly to standing position.

7. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination of a main frame equipped near its corners with standards, a foldingbed comprising foldably related bed-sections, including a spacing section movably mounted on said standards, a rearwardly swinging seat hin edto the said frame,

mechanism connectmg the frame, the rear mounted on said levers and front and rear sections pivotally connected with said spacing-section, a rearwardly swinging seat, means actuated by said seat for elevating and supporting the rear portion of said rear section, means for swinging said levers, thereby to elevate said spacing section in the operation of unfolding said bed, and rests adapted to support the bed adjacent the pivotal connections between the spacing-section and the rear section.

9. In a structure of the character set forth, the combination of a main frame e uipped near its corners with standards, a oldingbed comprising foldably related bed-seqtions, including a spacing section movably mounted on said standards,

a rearwardly l swinging seat hinged to the said frame, mechanism connecting the frame, the rear bed-section and seat and serving to elevate and tilt the folded bed in the operation of opening the seat, arms rigid with said seat, counter-balance springs connecting said arms to said frame and tending to throw said seat to the open osition, and co-acting rest-members on the fiiame and rear bed section serving to prevent collapse of the bed when it is occupied.

SOLOMON KARPEN. CHARLES HULTGREN.

In presence of- W. F. MEvEs, MORRIS RAUH. 

